Questions to Ask the Doctor

Regular communication with your child’s doctor is important in making informed decisions about his or her health care. Consider asking the following questions of your child’s doctor:

• Where exactly is the astrocytoma located?
  
  
• What is the grade of the tumor? What does this mean?
  
  
• What is your familiarity with my child’s tumor type and its treatment?
  
  
• Can you explain my child’s pathology report (laboratory test results) to me?
  
  
• What treatment options are available?
  
  
• What clinical trials are open to my child?
  
  
• What treatment do you recommend? Why?
  
  
• What are the chances for success with the planned therapy?
  
  
• Who is part of the treatment team, and what does each team member do?
  
  
• What are the possible side effects of this treatment, both in the short term and the long term?
  
  
• How will this treatment affect my child’s daily life? Will he or she be able to go to school and perform his or her usual activities?
  
  
• If I’m worried about managing the costs related to my child’s cancer care, who can help me with these concerns?
  
  
• What follow-up tests will my child need, and how often will he or she need them?
  
  
• What support services are available to my child? To my family?